1
as in flinching
to draw back in fear, pain, or disgust
we quailed when the waiter unexpectedly presented us with a hindquarter of frog's legs
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for quailing
Verb
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Ross passed the day's examination with flying colors – barely flinching at the rubber chicken.—
Laura L. Davis,
Nashville Tennessean,
6 Oct. 2025 -
Skubal, apparently flinching with the noise, balked for only the second time in his career.—
Cody Stavenhagen,
New York Times,
24 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Encouraged to see Jones sorta respond, Mackie kept babbling on and on and on about his dad, unaware that everyone else in the room was cringing.—
Lisa Gutierrez,
Kansas City Star,
25 Oct. 2025
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But the aftermath of the videos left many Democrats cringing, Republican candidates pouncing, and political observers wondering how voters would respond.—
Nicole Nixon,
Sacbee.com,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Bassist Franz Lyons, standing nearby onstage, is seen recoiling and shielding his eyes from the dispersing spray.—
Jessica Lynch,
Billboard,
31 Oct. 2025
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Americans are recoiling from the Democratic Party, and even in blue states like Colorado, Democrats are feeling the burn.—
The Denver Post Editorial Board,
Denver Post,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Lily, meanwhile, was found cowering beside the couch, with the guiltiest of expressions on her face.—
Jack Beresford,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Oct. 2025
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There is a cowering quality to her body, even her voice.—
Zuzana Říhová,
Literary Hub,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The actress was shown wincing in pain before being escorted out of the ballroom on a stretcher into an ambulance.—
Mekishana Pierre,
Entertainment Weekly,
30 Oct. 2025
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In that moment, Dupree involuntarily punches him and the pair go quiet as Dooley cusses and bends over wincing in pain.—
Vanessa Etienne,
PEOPLE,
2 Oct. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Quailing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quailing. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.
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